- Terzic quit as Dortmund manager after a reported bust-up with Hummels
- Hummels has broken his silence on the situation, with his future also uncertain
- LISTEN: On It’s All Kicking Off! Why England’s defence could prevent football from coming home
Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels has broken his silence just hours after Edin Terzic quit as the club’s manager amid reports of a bust-up with the centre back.
Reports emerged on Thursday morning that Hummels and Terzic had a ‘violent confrontation’ ahead of the Champions League final earlier this month after Hummels criticised his manager’s tactics in big games.
They put their differences aside for the showpiece event at Wembley – which Dortmund lost 2-0 to Real Madrid – but after meeting with club chiefs on Thursday, Terzic decided to walk away just minutes after news of his dispute with Hummels had been made public.
Hummels took to Instagram on Thursday evening to offer his thoughts on the day’s events, as he posted a photo of himself with a bemused expression alongside the cryptic caption: ‘Summarising today will be a challenge for me too’.
Hummels is out of contract himself this summer, and German outlet Bild has reported his deal will not be extended, meaning he is also set to follow Terzic out the exit door.
This will be his second departure from Dortmund, having also left the club in 2016 after eight years at the club before returning for a second spell in 2019.
It is understood that Hummels is open to a move abroad, with Serie A giants Roma and AC Milan both showing interest in the 35-year-old.
Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera claims Roma would be willing to offer the veteran defender a two-year contract with the option of a further 12 months.
Hummels’ relationship with Terzic is believed to have deteriorated quickly after he gave an explosive interview prior to the Champions League final.
Hummels was not happy with Dortmund’s approach to matches against teams above them in the table, and told Bild: ‘I was furious because I was of the opinion that Borussia Dortmund shouldn’t play like that – against any opponent in the world.
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‘I didn’t think it could go on like this. I felt insulted in my honour to stand on the pitch in that kit. So submissive, so inferior in footballing terms. The two Stuttgart games and the away game in Leverkusen. That was barricading with 11 men in the box.’
Terzic was enraged by Hummels’ comments and confronted his star defender following his scathing criticism.
It is not the first time Hummels has spoken out against a manager in recent weeks, having also hit out at Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann for leaving him out of his squad for Euro 2024.
The 2014 World Cup winner admitted he was ‘bitter’ about being snubbed and revealed his conversation with Nagelsmann about being left out was ‘short and disappointing’.
‘Not even two minutes,’ Hummels told Sport Bild when asked how long he spoke to Nagelsmann.
‘I just had to leave for training. But in moments like that I don’t need a long conversation or a big explanation. That was enough for me.
‘If I understood him correctly, he was concerned with other things than accepting a joker role. As I understood it, it was more about age-related things like fitness.
‘I can understand the idea that a group should have grown since March. For me as an individual, that’s bitter because I’m currently one of the five best defenders in Germany, and I have that confidence.
‘If I’d had the phase I had before the nomination in March, I might have been there – and now part of the European Championship squad.’
Germany are set to begin their Euro 2024 campaign against Scotland without Hummels on Friday night, while the defender faces an uncertain future after his shocking dispute with Terzic.